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I don't think you will find any rackets that heavy and suitable for playing an actual game. I see squash rackets used, occasionally, but they are too heavy. In Thailand, a couple of years ago, I saw the Thai national team using them.

no no. hmm
well i dont there is a racket that is specifically for power training.
i would suggest playing with a heavier racket like Yonex Isometric... or a simply research which racket is heavier. Although I have to advise that you should play with your playing racket and just keep practicing on smashing or clearing. you should not practice with a heavy racket for the sake of power because i think that your timing might be put off due the adjustment. so i think you should do weights for your arm or so... do you know what i mean? gain some arm muscle and train/practice smashing more.

hmmm yeah sorry for my initial post i did not mean to laugh at you, i just thought it was funny because that is where you would usually get the steel rackets.

there are some old Carlton and Black Knight racquets that have to be at least 120 grams. we actually found one lying around at the gym where I used to train at, it was a nice racquet, probably an expensive model 15 years ago Another option is the institutional racquets usually found at high schools, they are heavy but you probably couldnt string them very tight.

Barring those options, several companies sell training racquets, I have a Forza Nano training racquet which is 115 grams and I've seen pictures of LCW using a heavy Yonex training racquet

Does anyone there use training rackets (150-200gm)? I hear that using them will strengthen the wrist and increase head speed.

Where can I get one?

When I visited the Thailand National Team I saw that they all train with the 150 gram racket...They not only did repetitive drills but also played entire games with the training racket...I know I have seen them here but dont know what shop they were bought at...If you dont find them then I will check around here for you...

Heavy Training rackets

Knowledgeable coaches will all use a standard training racket from 115gram up to 200gram...With the 150gram even balance being the top choice...only the coaches of the beginners or club coaches will use squash or tennis rackets to substitute for the real thing...
Weight training is no substitute for using a good training racket...the small muscles used in actual play are strengthened by using the trainer...in weight training the small muscles get neglected...Any weight training coach will tell you that heavy weights builds bulk and light weights with many reps builds strength...
Couple of months ago I bought 6 trainers from Gia Dinh Sports...One model is the YangYang Super Trainer (150 gram even balance) and the other was a 175 gram Headlite balance Kat...Both of them perform well....the Kat works well for the beginners and the upper level players use the YangYang...The YangYang brand plays exactly the same as a normal racket...
I should do a Racket Review if there is enough interest...

When I visited the Thailand National Team I saw that they all train with the 150 gram racket...They not only did repetitive drills but also played entire games with the training racket...I know I have seen them here but dont know what shop they were bought at...If you dont find them then I will check around here for you...

Knowledgeable coaches will all use a standard training racket from 115gram up to 200gram...With the 150gram even balance being the top choice...only the coaches of the beginners or club coaches will use squash or tennis rackets to substitute for the real thing...

Given that many top international players train with a squash racket, I can confidently say you're wrong about that.

Personally I would favour the training racket, but if a squash racket is good enough for the pros...

Any weight training coach will tell you that heavy weights builds bulk and light weights with many reps builds strength...

No, I don't think so.

What is this obsession with "bulk = fake strength"? Is it muscle envy? Big muscles are powerful muscles.

There's a lot more to muscle performance than raw power, of course. In badminton, it's important that you train your muscles to be fast.

Training racket

Given that many top international players train with a squash racket, I can confidently say you're wrong about that.

Personally I would favour the training racket, but if a squash racket is good enough for the pros...

No, I don't think so.

What is this obsession with "bulk = fake strength"? Is it muscle envy? Big muscles are powerful muscles.

There's a lot more to muscle performance than raw power, of course. In badminton, it's important that you train your muscles to be fast.

I beg to differ with you that MANY top International players use squash rackets to train with....I think maybe when they were young they used squash or tennis racket...Personally I dont know a single player who trains with squash...I only know of the Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam teams and not the other teams....Top players can not afford to be confused by trying to train with a squash racket, they will not do it...the feel and grip everything about a squash racket is different...This would upset their feel...A training racket will not upset your feel...after training with heavy training racket you can switch to normal racket and in 2 min. your timing is normal...I simply cant imagine a player trying to play a game with a squash racket...However the training racket plays quite well...
Again, KNOWLEDGEABLE players and coaches will only use training rackets...
The top players that I know would not think about training with a squash or tennis racket...those days are long past for them...

I have been involved in Weight training for a long time and in different sports....each sport requires different ways of training...
For instance, Power lifters train opposite of Swimmers...Swimmers training is more suited to badminton...long strong muscles...
Muscle CAN NOT be trained to be fast...It can be built, but not "trained"...A large bulky bicep does not move as quickly as a long one...
Besides, Reaction is in the brain not in the muscle...and by being fast I assume you were talking about reaction time...I wish there was a way to train myself to be fast...About the only way I can think of to get faster is to work on "foot work"...

I would appreciate it if Gollum could name some "top international players" who use squash rackets. Even if they do, they would probably not use them playing games. The trainers can be used in actual games, even playing doubles. A squash racket, being made of wood, would be rather dangerous for that.

Where to buy Training racket

Originally Posted by enthusiast

I doubt if the cost of a trainer would exceed that of a squash racket. If that were the case, then I would opt for the training racket (if I knew where to find one).

Dealers here are selling the YangYang Super Trainer 150 gram and also The Kat Professional Trainer 175 gram...Both of these are supplied by the distributor where you bought your Karakal....www.giadinhsports.com...I just bought mine for 25usd and you will have to check about International prices...I just used it last nite and there is no comparison between a real Trainer and a squash or tennis racket...I will never use squash racket again...Thanks for the post as it motivated me to go buy one....

A squash racket, being made of wood, would be rather dangerous for that.

i think squash rackets are made with technology similar to those used in badminton and tennis rackets nowadays. wooden rackets are a thing of the past. of course, i dont play squash so do correct me if im wrong. but i have seen dunlop and prince squash rackets which claim to contain titanium and other space age materials

just a question, do those steel rackets that go for somewhere like SG$20 or less make good training rackets? they are yonex rackets, code is something like B-500DF, B-600DF and B-700 or 460, 560 and 660. dont really remember. they have external T-joints